Official Blog of the Frederick Keys – Advanced 'A' Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles

Keys go for series win with Berry on the hill

Tyler Wilson gave his performance of the season for the Keys last night, but Kyle Kubitza spoiled what looked like was going to be the Keys’ third straight win with a walk-off solo homer in the ninth inning. Frederick can still take the series tonight with a win. Tim Berry (2-2, 2.95) starts for the Keys.

*From last night’s game:

READ: The recap here. The box score here. And a story by Kent Zakour of The Gazette on Tommy Winegardner’s j0urney to the pitching mound in Frederick is here.

LISTEN: To last night’s Keys highlight of the game, Johnny Ruettiger’s two-RBI single.

Also, an interview with Keys reliever Zach Fowler.

For tonight’s game:

KEYS STARTER: LHP Tim Berry (2-2, 2.95)

Leads starters in ERA, ninth in the Carolina League.

Struck out 11 Hillcats on April 17 but allowed four runs in six innings, taking his first loss on the season.

Rated by Baseball America as Baltimore’s 11th-best prospect.

Drafted in the final (50th) round of the 2009 draft by the Orioles after senior season of high school, during which he threw a no-hitter and then had Tommy John surgery.

LAST APPEARANCE FOR BERRY:

DATE

OPP

RES

DEC

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

5/11

W-S

L

L

5.2

6

5

0

2

4

HILLCATS STARTER: RHP James Hoyt (2-1, 3.77)

Pitching in his 10th game of the season and making his third start; 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA as a starter and 2-0 with a 2.21 ERA as a reliever.

Threw six scoreless, no-hit innings in his first start of the season on May 3 against Winston-Salem. Allowed 7 runs in 3.1 innings against Myrtle Beach six days later.

Signed by Atlanta as a free agent out of independent leagues where he played two seasons. Pitched in 11 games in the Mexican League after signing.

KEYNOTES:

PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF: Keys third baseman Nicky Delmonico picked up a hit in the April 18 game at Potomac when he suffered a concussion that forced him to miss three weeks. Since returning Sunday, Delmonico’s pushed his hit streak to five games, extending his streak with a double last night. Just 20 years old, Delmonico has reached base in 14 of the 15 games he’s played and has recorded hits in 13 of them. His longest hitting streak this season was seven games and he’s hit in six consecutive away games.

HOLDING BACK HEFFLINGER: In their first series this season, the Keys held Lynchburg slugger Robby Hefflinger, currently second in the Carolina League in homers (8) and RBI (26), to just one hit in 12 at-bats, an RBI double. He didn’t play in Tuesday’s game and went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts on Wednesday.

PUNCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ORDER: The Keys middle of the order saw a significant change last weekend. Beginning on Sunday afternoon, first baseman Christian Walker took over the No. 3 spot after being promoted from Class-A Delmarva and Nicky Delmonico returned from the disabled list to his fifth-spot in the batting order. Catcher Zane Chavez, among league leaders in batting average, on-base percentage and walks, batted fourth. In their games at the heart of the order, the trio has gone a combined 12-for-48 (.250) with three homers, 10 RBIs and eight doubles.

*Do you Groupon? The Keys do. Check out this deal: two field seats to any Sunday-Thursday home game and a Keys hat for $20. Normally, that would run you $44. Buy it here.

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